Senior shuttlers look to link past with future at world championships

For a vast majority of sportspersons, the promise of a bright future is the biggest driving force. A unique pack of six shuttlers from the city, however, are looking at the past to stay inspired.

Years of grit and hard work went into the players’ tryst with the World Masters (or Senior) Badminton Championships, a tournament featuring players aged 35 and above from across the globe. Played biannually, this year’s edition will be held in Pattaya, Thailand, from September 14.

Perhaps, this will be for the first time that six “master” shuttlers from the city will represent the country on the big stage. Pankaj Naithani (40+ age group), Deepak Saxena (50+ age group), Col Rajeev Mehta (60+ age group), Sahil Katlaria (35+ age group), Satinder Malik (35+ age group) and Mala Gaba (40+ age group) secured qualification for the World Championships, after winning medals at the national meet. Mala stands out as the first woman from the city set to compete in the singles category at rge event. Earlier, Bhawna Sharma (another “master” shuttler) had played at the 2023 World Championships but in the mixed doubles category.

Fame did not come overnight for these players, it has been a long journey. Young achievers, they won several competitive events and are now making a name for themselves in the senior competition. While Saxena will be playing the international championships for the fourth time, Naithani will be featuring in his third — making them the leaders of the pack.

“It’s not easy to play at this age, especially after having played for so long. Managing social and personal responsibilities is very hard. I personally wanted to focus on other parts of my life but the passion for badminton keeps pulling me back,” said Saxena.

Not only mental strength, the masters shuttlers also take good care of their physical strength. “As youngsters, we would only reach out to physiotherapists after an injury. However, playing at this age…I have to visit my physiotherapist twice a week. Badminton needs good endurance, which cannot be attained in a year or two so constant training is important,” added Naithani.

Surinder Mahajan, Senior Vice President (Administration), Chandigarh Badminton Association, dismisses the idea of a masters’ event lacking the competitive spirit, “The sporting culture in other states is quite competitive. However, players like them help the city win medals even during the open age groups events. While Mehta and Saxena won a gold and a silver medal at the national meet, respectively, the others bagged bronze. This is not an easy feat. Only the top three qualify for the World Championships.”

A debut in Indian jersey

It is an especially proud moment for Mala, who will don the Indian jersey for the first time at the World Championship. She is also the only player competing in two events: singles and mixed doubles.

“Winning two bronze medals at the nationals was huge for me. After playing from 1993 to 2005, I shifted focus onto my personal life. However, I picked up the racquet again in 2024. I started afresh, attending gym sessions and training twice a day,” said Mala.

“The body needed to be trained well. I experienced pain in my knees initially, but kept going. Playing singles is demanding, one needs to be fit and I am still working on improving,” she added.

Mala rued the lack of a dedicated academy for “master” players akin to other states, saying, “After a certain point, you need a proper coaching setup. Maybe we [in Chandigarh] lack in that aspect. I hope a good showing at the World Championships can change that.”

Champs felicitated

The Chandigarh Badminton Association (CBA) organised a felicitation ceremony to honour local shuttlers who will be representing the country at the upcoming World Masters Badminton Championships, at Thailand, in September. Pankaj Naithani, Deepak Saxena, Col Rajeev Mehta, Sahil Katlaria, Satinder Malik and Mala Gaba were felicitated by Director Sports, UT Administration, Sorabh Arora, along with Surinder Mahajan, Senior Vice President (Administration), CBA, and other office bearers.

Chandigarh